


wunschpunsch

by neverwhere (nekrateholic)



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M, not actually a wunschpunsch au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 10:24:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10384566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nekrateholic/pseuds/neverwhere
Summary: Wonshik's new employer might be a witch. He might also secretly be a sulky three-year-old - or just incredibly weird - but it all works out in the end.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [kpopolymfics2017](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/kpopolymfics2017) collection. 



> written for Olymfics 2017, team AU for the prompt "Red Velvet - Russian Roulette"

 

Wonshik grew up with stories about the mansion on the hill. The older kids said a witch lived there, and regularly scared the younger ones - like Wonshik - with tales about how she cuts little children in half and cooks them for her cats. Needless to say, no child ever dared to go there. 

Even adults hardly ever went, and when Wonshik asked his mom why, quiet and secretive, she’d laughed and said that the people who lived there had servants who also lived there and produced most of their food, so they didn’t really need outside help often. There were, however, people from the village who went to work there from time to time, and each and every time they came back their kids would tell horror stories about how the hallways of the house ate people and the path between the front gate and the door was paved in their bones and - Wonshik rarely stuck around for the rest.

*

Wonshik read the letter again as the carriage rattled with the bumps in the road. The words  _ “you need to come home” _ and  _ “we need you” _ and  _ “I’m sorry” _ all blurred into a big, imaginary metaphor about Wonshik’s entire life on his own, away from home.

The carriage left him at the very end of the village, as per Wonshik’s instructions. He dragged his two suitcases down the main road, past the bakery and the blacksmith’s and Mrs Kang’s house - Wonshik wondered if she still made those sugar cookies she used to give to him for keeping an eye on little Mina while she was working. The pessimistic and tragically dramatic side of him wondered if she was still alive.

Walking the streets now, after eleven years of missing them, was like walking into a dream that somehow took your memories and twisted them into something new - the heart knew it, but the eyes disagreed.

A lot of things had changed in the past eleven years.

Mrs Kim no longer kept her numerous flower pots on the window sill; Mr Han had, at some point, fixed the bench Wonshik and Sanghyuk had broken when Wonshik was ten and Sanghyuk nine. It was a new bench, in Wonshik’s eyes, even though the edges were rounded by use with the wood dark and peeling in places. 

There were kids he didn’t know running around and people walking by, so Wonshik kept his head down and tried not to recognize his friends from before in any of them. He wasn’t ready for that yet.

*

“My baby!” Wonshik’s mom squealed when he opened the door. She ran to him, hugged him and  squeezed him so hard he dropped his suitcases. Wonshik laughed, but hugged her back and buried his face in her neck soon enough. He felt the melancholy from before dissipate in the familiar sense of  _ home _ . His mom still smelled like the last time he saw her.

Someone cleared their throat behind them. Wonshik looked up to see his father, leaning on a cane and smiling at them.

“You might want to let the boy breathe, dear.”

Wonshik laughed at the offended look in his mom’s eyes when she let him go. She waved a finger in his father’s face. “I haven’t seen my boy in two years, I am allowed to give him a hug.”

“Yes, yes.” Wonshik’s dad limped forward. “And now it’s my turn.”

His dad’s hug was considerably weaker than his mom’s and Wonshik was once again reminded of the reason he was here. 

He tried to keep his voice lighthearted. “How are you feeling, dad?”

“Like death is breathing down my neck.” Wonshik’s dad laughed, but it was the kind of laugh people who have resigned to their fate had. Wonshik’s mom tsk-ed behind them.

“Enough with that, the boy just came home. Let’s have dinner, come on.” She smiled at Wonshik. “We were waiting for you, darling.”

*

“How did you even end up in that big of a debt?” Wonshik asked later, when dinner was over and they had gathered around the fireplace.

His mother sighed. “How did you think we were able to send you away to study?”

Wonshik stared at them. “But… Aunt?”

“Your aunt received a healthy sum every month so she could take care for you and your studies,” his father said, eyes glued to the ceiling.

“Things were manageable,” his mom continued, “But then your father got sick and couldn’t work anymore. That time we visited you two years ago? So your dad could go see a city doctor?” Wonshik nodded. “That cost a lot, too.”

“Look,” His father sighed as well. “I know what we’re telling you. We paid for you to go have a chance in the big city, and now you have to come back and pay us back. Trust me, we’d avoid this if we could.”

Wonshik hurried to argue but his mom beat him to it. “Dear, I know it’s not very good thinking on our part, but we have no choice. I have to take care of your dad now, and honestly, the debt shouldn’t be that big by now. We didn’t spend our time here doing nothing.”

“Mom, dad, for the millionth time.” Wonshik looked at both of them before continuing, “I’m not mad. Or sad, or disappointed. I am curious, though.” He rubbed his neck. “Why did you insist I came back? I could’ve just sent you money.” Wonshik couldn’t, but his parents did not know that.

“Ah.” His father was suddenly very interested in the pattern of the curtains, and his mother gave him and exasperated look. “We had a talk, with Seokjin, the young lord’s butler. See, since the old lady died a few years back, our communication has been going through Seokjin, since the young lord seems very adverse to… people in general.”

“Wait, the witch had a son?”

His mother heaved a sigh. “She wasn’t a witch, Wonshik, don’t be a child. And the young lord isn’t her real child, he came to live with a few years after you left, when she got sick.”

Wonshik took a second to process the new information. Both his parents were looking at him expectantly, so he prompted, “So you and Seokjin had a talk...”

“Oh, of course,” Wonshik’s mom laughed. “When I told Seokjin we were thinking of asking you for help, he offered to cut the debt in half if you paid it off by working there. You’d only have to do it for a year.”

*

The next morning, Wonshik decided to reacquaint himself with the village. He got up early, helped his mom around the house, then kissed her goodbye with a promise to get something sweet for his dad from the bakery on his way back. 

Their house was located almost at the end of the village, so Wonshik had another chance to see all the things that had changed in the once familiar streets over the years. In broad daylight, it wasn’t that bad - or maybe it was just Wonshik’s inner dramatic mood had dispersed since the night before. 

He passed by the houses of people he knew once - Jongin, Hansol. He paused in front of Yoongi’s house and remembered, with a fondness he didn’t expect, the time Yoongi would tease him and Sanghyuk about the witch’s mansion and tell them stories that made eleven-year-old Wonshik cower in fear, but still stand in front of Sanghyuk protectively. 

A flash of black caught Wonshik’s eye, taking him out of his memories. There was a tall person, a girl - Wonshik could see the long-ish black hair peeking out from the hood of her cloak. The cloak was black as well, the girl’s face the only bright spot in her entire appearance. Wonshik caught a glimpse of strangely feline eyes that gave him a curious look, before the girl ran away, around Yoongi’s garden and up the hill.

Wonshik stared at her shrinking figure for a while, contemplating following - but that was a dumb idea, even for him. 

He decided to go visit an old friend instead.

*

“I still can’t believe you’re here.” Sanghyuk said, after the initial stunned silence when he’d opened the door. They were on their way to Mrs Kang’s house, now - Sanghyuk had promised to help her with something, and now Wonshik was going to help her as well.  “I mean, yeah, mom said you were coming back, but you know how rumors work - I thought...”

Wonshik shrugged. “I thought about writing to tell you, but I figured my mom would tell your mom. And considering the frequency of our letters these past few years...”

“Yeah, sorry about that.” Sanghyuk rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile. “Life here isn’t as exciting as it is in the city, but I still got somehow swept under it. And, honestly, each time you wrote about someone new and exciting you met, I got kind of jealous.”

Wonshik laughed at that, and Sanghyuk grinned at him. “It really isn’t as exciting as you think. There are a lot of people, true.” Wonshik watched as Mr Jung waved excitedly at Sanghyuk. “But people there are colder. It’s ten times harder to make someone actually give you a second glance and - it’s harder in general.”

Sanghyuk eyed him curiously. “You sound like you don’t really like it there?”

“I do,” Wonshik hurried to explain, “I just… Okay, maybe I don’t really like it there. It’s just - dreams can get crushed very easily in the city.”

“Well, the dreams talk should wait until later, because now we have wood to chop.” Sanghyuk grinned again and opened the door to Mrs Kang’s garden.

*

“Hey,” Wonshik started as they were entering the bakery a few hours later, “Have you seen this weird lady? She’s about my height, wears this hooded, black cloak. Her hair is about shoulder length I think, and her eyes kind of look like a cat’s.” Sanghyuk considered it for a second.

“I don’t think so. Where did you see her?”

“Behind Yoongi’s parents’ house I think? She was going uphill.” Wonshik tried to remember more about the surroundings but all he really remembered was the girl’s piercing stare. It seemed like she could see through his soul.

Sanghyuk winked at what was probably Sejeong, the baker’s daughter, before answering Wonshik. “Uphill is the mansion, you know that. Nobody really goes there and I’m pretty sure the female servant who works there is neither tall nor looks like a cat.”

Wonshik watched Sejeong putter around, trying to fetch what was probably the usual order for Sanghyuk’s mom. He barely remembered Sejeong - on top of the fact that she was younger, even back then she barely came outside to play, too busy helping her dad.

“I didn’t say she looks like a cat, it was just - nevermind.” Wonshik said, but Sanghyuk never minded in the first place, too busy making Sejeong blush. 

*

There was a man Wonshik didn’t know, talking to his mom. Wonshik carefully closed the door behind him, but the man still whipped his head in Wonshik’s direction, as if he’d sensed his presence. Wonshik blinked, surprised at the irrational fear slowly creeping up his spine. The man had full cheeks, full lips, currently curved in a smile and black hair that was falling in his eyes. If Wonshik was being honest, the man was terribly beautiful. His eyes, though. Something in them told Wonshik this was not a man one would want to cross. 

“Wonshik!” His mom turned around as well, following the man’s gaze. “Welcome home, baby, this is Seokjin. I told you about him last night, remember?”

Wonshik blinked again. “The butler?”

Seokjin’s smile grew a little wider. Wonshik suppressed the urge to take a step back. “I believe I am the butler, yes.” He motioned for Wonshik to come closer and Wonshik did, taking a seat next to his mom, as far from Seokjin as possible. “I came to discuss the conditions of your employment.”

“My - oh. You mean the debt.”

Seokjin’s expression did not change, but Wonshik still felt twice more stupid than two seconds ago. “Indeed, I mean the debt. I would like to discuss the possibility of you coming to live in the mansion, for the time being.”

“Is that really necessary?” Wonshik’s mom answered for him. She looked as thrilled about the idea as Wonshik felt.

“I’m afraid it is, madam. As he is going to be essentially lord Taekwoon’s assistant, it would be best if he were available at all times. He would, of course, have time off to come visit.” Seokjin finished with a sweet smile, aimed at Wonshik’s mother. The woman practically melted in a puddle of adoration - it was a sight.

“Of course, of course. You agree, yes, Wonshik?”

Wonshik sighed. There was no point in arguing. “I do.”

“Great!” Seokjin smiled again, at Wonshik this time, and Wonshik felt that fear creeping up his spine again. “I will come the day after tomorrow to help you with your luggage. You can start as soon as you settle in the mansion.”

“Perfect.” Wonshik muttered. He had never been happier to see someone’s back before.

*

“Mom?” Wonshik said after dinner that night. “I saw a girl today.”

His mom narrowed her eyes. “Did you really?”

“I didn’t know her!” Wonshik laughed. “I was actually wondering if you knew who she was. Her hair comes up to her shoulders, I think. She was wearing all black and I saw her crossing Yoongi’s parents’ garden and going uphill.”

“That’s not really specific.”

“I saw her for a second! She just… seemed interesting, I don’t know.” Wonshik thought about it again. “Her eyes looked like a cat’s?”

“I can’t think of anyone. I’m sorry, dear.” Wonshik’s mom smiled at him and went back to clearing the table. Wonshik sighed.

*

“Wonshik,” Wonshik turned around trying to block the sound with his pillow. “Wonshik, dear, you have to wake up.”

His mother pulled the covers away, 

“Wake up, dear,” She said again, and then, softer “Seokjin is here.”

That made Wonshik shoot up straight. He looked out of the window and - “But mother, it’s not even dawn yet?”

Now that he was actually awake, he noticed his mom had dressed in a hurry - her hair was still down and her dress was wrongly buttoned. “He said you should start early.”

Wonshik sighed and rolled out of bed.

Seokjin was, indeed, waiting for him in their kitchen. He got up when he saw Wonshik. “Are you ready?”

Wonshik took one last, longing look at his bedroom door and asked, “Do I have a choice?”

Seokjin just smiled sweetly, in that way that made Wonshik’s hair stand on end, and took two of the three bags he and his mom had prepared the night before. Wonshik took the last one and braced himself for the cold morning air outside.

*

Seokjin made no effort to start a conversation on their way to the mansion, so Wonshik decided to busy himself with taking in the scenery instead. The sun was finally starting to rise and the light filtering through the scattered trees made Wonshik wish he had a pen and paper on him. He’d never actually went that far as a kid, too afraid of the older kids’ tales of the mansion, and now he was wondering if it had always been so beautiful. There was so much green, even though it was well into autumn already. A lot of the trees were covered in ivy and the occasional wild rose bush. All this, with the bright glow of the rising sun - Wonshik almost forgot where he was supposed to be going.

“The young lord likes the roses,” Seokjin said when Wonshik stopped to smell one. It was the first thing he’d said since they left the house and Wonshik startled. “He likes taking walks here during sunsets, sometimes.”

“Oh.” Wonshik said. He couldn’t think of anything more suitable to say.

He was saved from the need to, anyway, because they soon reached the mansion’s gate. It was a huge iron thing, rusted on the edges. It had an intricate pattern, one Wonshik couldn’t make out a single form out of - but it was beautiful anyway. 

There was a cat on each of the pillars surrounding the gate. Seokjin frowned. “It’s too early for cats to be out and about.” He said it like a reprimand, voice a little louder than necessary, but none of the cats seemed to take it into account. Both of them had their eyes fixated on Wonshik. The one on the right - white, with black on its paws, eyes, and the tip of its ears, lazily flicked its tail as it followed Wonshik’s movements. The other one was pure black, curled up on top of the other pillar. Wonshik might’ve thought it was asleep if it wasn’t for its eyes that flashed every time it blinked slowly at them.

Seokjin opened the gate - it made an awful, screeching sound that made the white cat jump off and run away. Seokjin closed the gate again and headed towards the mansion, but Wonshik fell back and took one last look at the gate - the black cat was still there, still as calm, only now it was sitting on its hind legs and staring after them. Wonshik felt the chills crawl up his spine. And just when he thought Seokjin would be the creepiest thing in there.

At least the path wasn’t really paved in bones.

*

“Welcome home, Seokjin.” A young woman said from the top of the stairs when they entered the main hall. She nodded towards Wonshik. “Mister.”

Wonshik shuffled uncomfortably. “Please, call me Wonshik.”

“Very well.” She replied, then smiled. Wonshik suddenly felt very small. “My name is Hyejin, I am the head, and currently, only servant.”

A gray cat, one Wonshik hadn’t seen yet, came running from somewhere behind Hyejin, stopped next to her and curled its tail around Hyejin’s ankle. Seokjin smiled, too.

“I suppose you have to meet them at some point as well,” he pointed at the cat. “This is Yin. The ones that welcomed us at the gate were Kixs - the white one - and Leopold.” 

At this, Hyejin frowned. “Leopold was at the gate?”

“He was.”

Hyejin’s frown deepened. Then she turned to Wonshik and it was like the smile never left her face. “I’m sure you must be wondering why we wanted you to come here so early.”

“I am, yes.” Wonshik said and squeaked as something rubbed against his leg. When he looked down, the white cat from earlier - Kixs - was looking up at him, flicking its tail again. Wonshik noticed the tip of its tail was black, too. 

“Ah, it seems you’ve made Kixs curious.” Seokjin said, and Wonshik could hear the smile in his voice. For the first time since they met Wonshik didn’t feel like taking a cautious step back from the man. “She tends to like only the lord, and merely tolerate the rest of the world.”

Hyejin laughed. “He says that because Kixs is the only female in his life that does not trip over her feet to please him. She really is temperamental, though.” 

“Anyway,” Seokjin said with a hint of a threat in his voice and Hyejin laughed again. “We called you in so early, because the lord has a very… unique sleeping schedule. He tends to stay up late and sleep during most of the day. We wanted to show you around and get you set up before he starts his day, so you could start as soon as possible.”

“Of course.” Wonshik tried to keep the resignation out of his voice. Kixs was still looking at him, and Wonshik had never been particularly fond of cats, but right at that moment she seemed to be the only one in the mansion who actually likes him. Maybe.

“Great!” Hyejin clapped her hands and motioned for Wonshik and Seokjin to come closer. “We’ll show you to your room now.”

“Of course.” Wonshik said again. Hyejin laughed, and both Kixs and Yin followed them up the stairs.

*

Seokjin had instructed Wonshik to unpack his bags and come downstairs so they could have breakfast and show him around. 

So, of course, Wonshik was now sitting on his new bed, staring out of the open window, belongings haphazardly thrown around behind him. 

A cat he didn’t know yet had snuck in at some point after Seokjin left and now she - it was a she, Wonshik checked - now she was asleep, curled up against his thigh. She was way more affectionate than any of the other cats Wonshik had met and he wondered if the rest would be like that, too. And how many they actually were. 

The last of the sunrise’s colors were fading into daylight and Wonshik sighed. He had to man up and face the day sooner or later. He had a whole mansion to learn and, eventually, to meet the mysterious lord as well.

When he got up to close the window, Wonshik noticed a lone figure far into the gardens. The person seemed almost translucent in the bright morning light. He squinted to see the figure better, but the person disappeared before Wonshik could see anything distinctive. He made a mental note to ask Seokjin or Hyejin about it.

The cat was staring at him curiously from the bed and Wonshik gave her a little wave. He felt dumb a second later, even more as he got distracted enough that he tripped on the upturned edge of a rug. He fixed it, brushed the nonexistent dust off his clothes and braced himself for the day.

*

Most of Wonshik’s self-induced enthusiasm had disappeared by sunset. The mansion was huge and he knew he would probably get lost on daily basis for at least a month, Hyejin was possibly even scarier than Seokjin and there were a total of seven cats. Wonshik tried to learn all their names, but his brain just stopped registering things after the third detailed cat description. At least he learned the one in his room was called Nira.

The young lord’s quarters were still quiet.

Unlike his rooms, though, the kitchen was brimming with life. Seokjin and Hyejin were a blur of movement hurrying around to prepare breakfast. No one seemed to mind the fact that it was four in the afternoon.

Wonshik stared at the pile of food that was slowly forming. “That’s… A lot of food.”

“Well, yes.” Seokjin replied, putting his knife aside and stepping back to examine the pile of food. “Lord Taekwoon is quite the eater.”

“Speaking of the lord,” Hyejin grinned at Wonshik. “It’s almost time for him to wake up. You’re going with Seokjin.”

Once, after one too many wine glasses, Wonshik and one of his very few friends in the city, Namjoon, had a very detailed conversation about what to do during a bear attack. Faced with Hyejin’s terrifying grin, Wonshik asked, very calmly, “Why?”

“As a personal assistant it’s going to be your duty soon. You should get used to it.” Hyejin stated with the same terrifying grin, twirling the knife Seokjin had just put down. 

Wonshik stared in horror.

*

Seokjin pulled the curtains open and the bright afternoon light filled the room. Wonshik stood in the middle of the room, trying not to fidget and drop the plate of food in his hands.

The giant bed was a mountain of blankets and they shifted under the light coming from the windows.

“My lord,” Seokjin said, voice tinged with something weirdly similar to fondness. “It is four in the afternoon. We have brought your breakfast.”

The blanket mountain shifted again, there was a barely audible grunt and a face popped out from the opposite end of the bed. 

“Did you have to bring him so early?” the lord grumbled and moved more of the blankets, sitting up. Wonshik stared at his messy black hair, his cat-like eyes, now in full view. Wonshik swallowed nervously.

“I’m sorry, my lord.” Seokjin said beside him with a deep bow. “Hyejin and I thought it would be best if we got introductions out of the way as soon as possible.”

“Right.” the lord muttered, motioning for the plate in Wonshik’s hands. Wonshik looked at Seokjin, who just smiled at him in a way that made Wonshik think of all the ways the butter knife on the plate could damage his face if he messed up.

He carefully placed the food on the space lord Taekwoon cleared on the bed and stepped back, back until he was safely on the other side of the room.

Lord Taekwoon eyed him, amused. “Are you afraid of me?”

“I’m nervous since it’s my first day, my lord.” Wonshik replied, hoping the very truth didn’t show on his face. Lord Taekwoon laughed.

“I must admit,” lord Taekwoon said again, picking up his teacup. “I expected to at least be dressed for our first proper meeting.”

Wonshik opened his mouth, then closed it again. “I’m sorry, have we met before?”

That made the lord laugh again. “I don’t know, have we? I just thought with the way you’ve been asking around the village for me, you would have at least remembered our brief meeting.”

Lord Taekwoon was laughing and a glance at Seokjin confirmed that he, too, was trying to hide a smile. Wonshik quietly backtracked towards the door with as much dignity as he could muster, mumbled an excuse, opened the door and ran to his room as soon as he heard it click shut.

If the ground around here really did eat people, he thought, now would be a really good time for that to happen.

*

Pretending not to hide in the kitchen didn’t work for long, because soon Hyejin was in front of Wonshik with hands on her hips and badly hidden amusement all over her face.

“I appreciate the desire to help me, but you’re here to be lord Taekwoon’s assistant and you have a job to do.”

“Yes, of course,” Wonshik said, too fast, and Hyejin grinned. “I just wanted to see if you need any help...”

Hyejin patted his shoulder, all the while nudging him towards the door. “Of course you did, dear, now go. Wait for him in the library, he’s going to be there soon.”

Wonshik didn’t even try to pretend he wanted to do it, but got up anyway. Hyejin gave him one last sympathetic pat on the shoulder and slammed the kitchen door behind him.

The only real reason Wonshik even remembered where the library is located was because it was practically a separate building connected to the house through a wide, short hallway covered in tapestries. He’d had a few moments of awed staring when Seokjin had shown it to him earlier - it was oval and three storeys high, with spiraling staircases connecting each floor and bookshelves from the very bottom of the first floor all the way to the stained glass ceiling of the third. 

It was rather cold inside, but Seokjin had explained that with the fact that less heat is better for the books.

There were conveniently placed blankets on all of the armchairs, and numerous stacks of books on all available surfaces, including the floor. Wonshik plopped on an armchair, taking a book from the nearest stack. It turned out an encyclopedia on insects - and not an entirely regular one, Wonshik realized while flipping through the pages. Along with the usual biology and behaviour descriptions, it had also a section on symbolism and what each insect  meant for certain cultures.

Soon, he pulled the blanket around his shoulders. Maybe it was his imagination, but the room seemed a bit colder than it was a few minutes ago. Wonshik flipped a page, shuddering at the detailed drawing of a cockroach that met him. 

There was a sharp gust of wind, and before Wonshik could wonder how is there even wind indoors, the quiet library was suddenly not so quiet anymore; it seemed like a thousand little feet were running through the walls, the noise louder and louder and louder and Wonshik barely had time to drop the book and cover his face with the blanket in the hopes that whatever comes for him will be quick and - 

The heavy wooden door pushed open.

The noise was gone, as abruptly as it had started, and Wonshik slowly lowered the blanket from his eyes. Lord Taekwoon was standing in the doorway, eyebrows raised. They stared at each other for what felt like hours, before Wonshik remembered where he was and what he was supposed to be doing. He quickly got up and bowed.

“Sir… Uh, my lord. I’m sorry. I just - did you hear the noise?”

“Hm?” The lord’s eyes fell on the encyclopedia on the floor, “If you’re going to work here, Wonshik, you will have to learn to be careful with my books. Some of those are extremely valuable.”

Wonshik hastily picked up the encyclopedia, placing it where he initially found it. “I’m sorry, my lord, it’s just, the noise -”

“You keep talking about a noise,” lord Taekwoon interrupted, “But everything was perfectly quiet when I entered.”

Wonshik just blinked for a for a few moments. Lord Taekwoon’s face lacked the amusement it had when he mocked Wonshik earlier. It lacked any emotion, really. Wonshik involuntarily stepped back as the lord passed by him and headed for the desk on the other side of the room. 

“I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be more careful next time. It won’t happen again.”

Wonshik thought he heard a quiet, airy laugh somewhere near, but when he looked around, the library was just as empty as it was before. The lord gave no indication of noticing anything, so Wonshik clamped his mouth shut and tried to be the best assistant he could be, even if his only desire was to run away as far as possible.

*

After a full night of running around the library and bringing various books to the lord, Wonshik barely managed to suppress the desire to fall to his knees in gratitude when lord Taekwoon told him he’s free to go to bed at four in the morning.

Seokjin had informed him, earlier, that he was to wake up later than him and Hyejin, since unlike them, Wonshik was supposed to stay up as long as the lord does.

The sky was still dark when he entered his room but he knew the sun would rise very soon, so he went and closed the curtains first. Wonshik headed for bed, then, contemplating sleeping in his clothes and tripped on the carpet once again. 

This time, he ended up flat on his face. The boy just stayed there for a few moments, the sleep-deprived part of him demanding this entire situation was a metaphor for his life the past few days. He remembered that airy laugh from the library again, imagined hearing it again, or maybe he did hear it again - it really was time for bed.

Wonshik fixed the carpet’s edges again, a little more aggressive than necessary, and tried to convince himself the next day would be better.

*

The next day was not better.

Wonshik woke up feeling like a used rag, even though it was noon. He helped Hyejin in the kitchen and she made him tea - she seemed almost sweet, then. It was probably the lack of sleep.

With still a few hours to spare before the lord woke up, Wonshik decided to try and figure out the giant book lord Taekwoon had presented him with the night before, containing the classification scheme of the library. Wonshik was to learn it and put the piles of books on the floor back on their respective shelves.

Each book was supposed to be classified by language, author, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, and field of knowledge if the case was the latter. When on the shelves, they had to be in alphabetical order. 

Wonshik could feel the headache forming, and he wasn’t even past the tenth page. Nira kept him company, curled up on a nearby armchair and he got up to pet her, maybe distract himself from the thought of classification 

Nira, however, didn’t seem too interested in playing with him, so he headed for the thing that had first caught his eye when he entered the library the day before - the grand piano near one of the windows.

Wonshik wasn’t much of a pianist, but the endless composing sessions with Namjoon had taught him a lot of things. Now, faced with the piano, he remembered all those nights and the conversations and his dreams of being a composer and the ever-present feeling of not being good enough.

He lifted the fallboard and pressed a key. The sound echoed in the empty room and it made him feel lighter, somehow. So Wonshik sat down and played that first song Namjoon taught him to play.

He was about to start a second one when Nira jumped down from the armchair she was sprawled on and came to sit next to him, rubbing her head on Wonshik’s ankles, demanding attention. “So now you feel like acknowledging me,” he smiled. Nira just purred and Wonshik shook his head, but still bent down to pick her up. 

Which was the exact moment the fallboard slammed shut.

Wonshik stared at the now covered keys, where his hands had been a second ago, Nira still in his hands. She wiggled until he let her go, then ran back and curled up on her armchair again.

He followed her, still a little dazed, and scratched her behind her ears. “You’re the best cat I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, you know that?”

Nira didn’t move from her position, but her tail twitched and soon she was purring softly, too. 

Wonshik gave the piano one last, suspicious look and got back to putting books back in their places.

*

The rest of the day was rather uneventful, save for the moment  Lord Taekwoon requested a book from the basement. Which would be all sorts of okay, if it wasn’t two in the morning. 

Of course, Wonshik didn’t have the guts to protest, so he grabbed a candle, took a deep breath and opened the basement door.

The old stairs creaked under his weight and he clutched at the candle as hard as he could without breaking it in half. There were more candles in little stands on the walls, he knew this, but it didn’t help that his heart was beating ten times its normal speed. He cursed lord Taekwoon in his head, did he really need that particular book at that particular hour of the night and who even kept books in their basement with such a huge library -

The candle went out.

Wonshik counted his breaths, told himself it was okay, this was the exact reason he brought extra matches, he was prepared and - something crawled up his leg.

Wonshik screamed.

He scrambled back up the stairs in the dark, tripping over things he didn’t want to think about and somehow managing to burst through the basement door in one piece. Seokjin was already there, eyebrow raised. He looked impeccable, as always, and Wonshik briefly wondered when did the man sleep.

“Did something happen?”

“No,” Wonshik managed not to stutter, which was a success, but he couldn’t keep his voice from cracking. “I just dropped my candle. It went out.”

Seokjin tilted his head curiously. “Did you need something from the basement?”

Wonshik had to make a quick decision. His pride or going back down the stairs? “Lord Taekwoon wanted a book. Uh. Something about fallen stars?” Wonshik took a deep breath. The decision was not a hard one. “Could you please go and get it for me? I already failed once and I feel like you’d be faster, and lord Taekwoon really needs it.”

Seokjin didn’t smirk, didn’t even smile, but Wonshik somehow knew he was being mocked. “Of course.” Seokjin said, raising his candle a little higher, to light up the staircase.  “Please be more careful next time.”

Wonshik didn’t even try to hide his sigh of relief. “I will.”

That night, Wonshik carefully avoided the carpet’s edges in his room and finally accepted that this house was his life for the next year.

*

Wonshik looked out of the kitchen window, the cup of tea Hyejin made him still warm in his hands. A few days had passed, blissfully calm, except for the few times books fell from the shelves and on his head. He knew better than to complain, now.

Outside, there were piles of leaves in the garden, yellow and soggy from last night’s rain.

“I’ll have to tell Seokjin to hire someone from the village to deal with those,” Hyejin spoke next to Wonshik, and he tried his best not to jump.

“Why don’t you just get your gardener to do it?”

Hyejin raised an eyebrow at him. “We don’t have a gardener. We just hire people from the village when things get too much for us to handle it ourselves. Us three and the lord are the only people here, I thought you knew that.”

“But,” Wonshik opened his mouth, then closed it again. What? “But I saw someone? The first day I arrived here. There was someone in the garden, I saw them.”

Hyejin stayed quiet for a few moments. “It’s just us. You must have imagined it, it was a long day for you.”

“But -”

“Wonshik,” Hyejin interrupted, voice serious. “ There are no other people here. I think the new circumstances might be stressing you out. Why don’t you go visit your family tomorrow? I’ll speak with the lord when he wakes up.”

“I - Alright.” 

Wonshik sighed. Maybe the mansion really was getting to him.

*

“My darling!” his mom exclaimed as soon as she opened the door. “I didn’t expect you so soon! Is everything alright?”

“Of course, mother. I just missed you.” Wonshik smiled and here, away from lord Taekwoon and the creepy house and Seokjin and Hyejin’s knowing looks, everything seemed better. Easier. 

His father hobbled in and Wonshik couldn’t help but notice he seemed - better, happier than last time they saw each other.

His mother smiled at him, “We’re doing good, too. Now that we don’t have to worry about the debt anymore I have the time and the means to look after your father properly.”

Wonshik smiled at both of them - he could do this - for them. He  _ would _ do this. All the upturned carpets and books flying off their shelves and randomly slamming piano fallboards in the world couldn’t make him take the smile off his parent’s faces.

He kissed his mother and helped her set the table for dinner.

*

Wonshik’s good mood after visiting his parents lasted a total of two hours.

He had to work the night, of course, and lord Taekwoon had asked him to get a book from one of the upper shelves on the first floor. 

Wonshik pushed the ladder to the desired shelf and carefully started climbing it.

Just when he had found the right book, another book from the shelf above stuck out and - right before Wonshik’s terrified eyes - flew out, completely on his own, and hit him in the face. It was only the fear that had him clutching the ladder hard enough to not fall backwards.

“Did you - did you see that?” He asked the lord as soon as his feet touched the ground again. 

Lord Taekwoon looked up from the encyclopedia. “See what?”

“The book!” Wonshik said, voice rising involuntary. “It just… flew out! On its own!”

The lord was far too amused for Wonshik’s state of panic. “Books don’t fly on their own, Wonshik.”

“But! But!” Just then, right next to the lord, there was a flash of something - of some _ one,  _ of someone’s face, floating mid-air, body-less and pale. Wonshik screamed.

When Wonshik dared to look in that direction again, the face was gone and the lord looked startled and maybe a little amused.

“Please,” Wonshik muttered, voice shaky, “Please tell me you saw  _ that _ .”

The lord looked around, slowly, and then said, voice careful, like he was talking to a wild animal. “Wonshik, there is nothing here. I’m sorry. Maybe you should sleep early today.” And then, after a pause, “You’re no use to me in this state.”

Wonshik nodded, apologized, and tried to calm his trembling hands. 

He was too out of it to be careful with the carpet in his room this time, and when he ended up flat on his face again he just laid there, trying to convince himself crying wouldn’t help anyone.

Was this what going insane felt like?

*

The next morning, Wonshik woke up numb. 

It wasn’t a physical numbness, though. He had finally, really resigned himself to living in this weird house, being silently mocked for the rest of his stay and potentially going insane. 

“Bring it on,” he muttered, finally ready to face a day in that place. He didn’t even flinch at the airy laugh that echoed somewhere near.

He just got up, squared his shoulders.

And fell on his face, because the damned carpet didn’t get the memo, apparently.

* 

“Is there something wrong?” Lord Taekwoon asked, later that day and there was one of those mildly amused smiles in his voice, a slight arch of an eyebrow. Wonshik knew that if he said anything about the pale, translucent man smiling behind the lord, he’d be made fun of and possibly released from his position to be sent to a mental institution, which would mean his parents would have to pay the debt alone, again. Wonshik had come to terms with the fact that he was having hallucinations. He was ready to face the next year ignoring them.

“No, sir.” He said, having a silent staring competition with the translucent man. The man waved.

“Really?” the lord asked again, the grin now very much visible, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

The translucent man rolled his eyes. And then spoke.

“Look, I was perfectly willing to play along and make him suffer some more, but I simply cannot stay silent at your awful puns.”

Wonshik stared, mouth parted because - because his condition was evidently getting worse, now his hallucinations  _ spoke _ and -

And lord Taekwoon replied.

“Well, now you’ve ruined everything. Hongbin might have killed you, if you weren’t already dead.” To Wonshik, he said, “Can we please move past you having a crisis over the fact that ghosts exists and I’m really a witch, so we can finally get some real work done?”

“I...” Wonshik started, then realized he didn’t know how to finish. Ghosts?  _ A witch? _

The last thing he heard, before he fainted like every heroine in every gothic novel he’d ever read, was a grumbled  _ I suppose not. _

*

When Wonshik woke up this time, there were people around him. He could see Hyejin directly above him with a wet cloth, and somewhere further, lord Taekwoon’s soft voice was asking  _ He’s he going to be okay, right? _

“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” said someone, who was not Hyejin. Hyejin only frowned, then moved away and a second later another face - a rather pale one - appeared in Wonshik’s plain of view.

Wonshik screamed.

“For God’s sake, Hakyeon, please stop making him scream.”

“I’m not even doing anything!” The man - the  _ ghost _ \- said. “Although if I were alive...” Hakyeon’s eyes trailed slowly down Wonshik’s body and Wonshik jumped up, terrified. Lord Taekwoon rolled his eyes.

“Um,” said Wonshik intelligently.

“Look,” lord Taekwoon spoke again, “Whether you scream or not, the truth is, my ghosts live here just as much as I do. If you can’t handle that please tell me now, go home and don’t waste my time. We’ll find another way to go about the debt.”

Wonshik’s parents came to his mind. The happy smiles they had when he visited last. “I - no, the debt is my responsibility. But - ghosts? As in,  _ plural _ ?”

“Of course!” The ghost - Hakyeon, Wonshik reminded himself - exclaimed. “There’s me, obviously, then Jaehwan, Jungkook and Hongbin.” And then, much to Wonshik’s horror, he felt coldness along his back and circling his waist. Hakyeon was _hugging_ _him_. Wonshik barely stopped himself from screaming again. When Hakyeon spoke again, his voice sounded impossibly close. “You’ll love Hongbin, he likes you very much.”

Someone cleared their throat. Wonshik looked up and - since when was Seokjin even in the room? “I’m sorry,” he said, although his voice suggested anything but. “But I think tripping him in the basement doesn’t spell “liking”, exactly.”

“That was - that was you?!” Wonshik squeaked. Hakyeon sighed.

“It wasn’t me, it was Hongbin, Seokjin just  _ said _ \- and he meant well, he just wanted to have some fun! And anyway, he didn’t trip you, he just… Scared you a little.”

Lord Taekwoon snorted. “Of course.”

“I suppose I’m going to meet the rest too, at some point?” Wonshik whispered.

“Yes.” The lord stated. “But later, when you’ve gotten used to the idea. He wasn’t supposed to be here either,” he glared at Hakyeon at this, “but I’ll be damned if that idiot ever does anything he’s told.”

“I am a  _ free spirit _ , you ungrateful child -”

Wonshik closed his eyes and tried, for just a second, to remember how normal life felt. Hakyeon’s voice was too loud to concentrate, though.

*

There was a cat that wasn’t Nira on Wonshik’s bed. It wasn’t Kixs either, and Wonshik carefully approached it. The cat hissed at him.

It said a lot about the past few days that Wonshik didn’t even flinch. “Look, buddy,  _ you _ are in  _ my _ bed and we’re going to have to reach a compromise here.”

“His name is Yuxu,” said a voice behind Wonshik and he did flinch this time - in fact, he might have jumped and possibly squeaked as well. When he turned around, there was another - another ghost. This one didn’t look even remotely as friendly as Hakyeon had, though. He was staring at Wonshik like he had personally offended him.

“He hates me.” Wonshik stated, although it was obvious to anyone with eyes, really.

“I know,” the man said and he smiled. If Wonshik thought Seokjin’s smiles were creepy - “There’s a reason he’s my favorite.”

Wonshik stared at him. The entire mansion along with the… creatures in it, wasn’t the example of hospitality so far, but it was the first time someone was so obviously hostile towards him. Wonshik said, “Um.”

“My name is Jaehwan,” the ghost spoke again. “You better remember that.”

And with that, he melted right through the floor.

Wonshik stared at the spot he’d just occupied and - did that really just happen? But Yuxu was still hissing at him from his own bed and that was probably proof enough. 

Wonshik was tired. Too tired to deal with any of this, too tired to deal with angry cats and aggressive ghosts, so he just took a blanket out of the closet, curled on the stupid, tripping carpet and prayed Yuxu doesn’t kill him in his sleep.

*

“So...” Wonshik said, holding the pile of books lord Taekwoon presented him with. “What are you actually trying to do?”

The lord looked up from the encyclopaedia in his hands. “A wish potion.”

“Uh.”

“What?”

“Isn’t that...” Wonshik hesitated. “A bit dangerous? I mean, if it gets in the wrong hands it could do some serious damage.”

The lord shrugged. “That goes for most of the world’s inventions. And anyway, wish potion recipes already exist, I’m just trying to create one that doesn’t involve cutting off human or animal body parts.”

Wonshik’s eyes widened. “Body… Wait, no, nevermind. I don’t think I want to know.”

“Yes,” lord Taekwoon laughed, “I’m pretty sure you don’t.”

“So...” Wonshik said again, after a bit of silence. “What do you have so far? If you don’t mind me asking, my lord.”

The lord just blinked at him for a second. “No, I don’t. Wait, let me show you.” He threw the encyclopaedia on top of the pile of books in Wonshik’s hands and Wonshik tried very hard to keep his balance and not drop any of them.

“We need dragonflies.” Taekwoon stated, rummaging around his desk. He pulled out a stack of fancy looking paper with a triumphant smile.

“Dragonflies?” Wonshik asked, moving closer, mindful of the books. “Isn’t it too late to be going to the river?”

Taekwoon grinned. “We are not going to the river.” Before Wonshik could question anything further, Taekwoon continued, speaking directly to the cupboard in the other end of the room. “Come on, Jaehwan. Don’t be difficult, we have work to do.”

To Wonshik’s horror, a moment later Jaehwan’s head popped out halfway from said cupboard. Somehow, he managed not to squeak. Jaehwan looked grumpy, pouty even, and there wasn’t any of the hatred Wonshik saw in his eyes last night. That, of course, changed the very second Jaehwan’s eyes landed on Wonshik. Wonshik took a little step backwards, towards the door.

“Don’t go anywhere,” Taekwoon said and Wonshik looked up to see it was directed at him. Taekwoon turned back to Jaehwan, then. “We don’t have all night.”

“Does he have to be here?” Jaehwan grumbled, but still floated closer to Taekwoon. He looked nice - and almost sweet -  when he wasn’t looking at Wonshik.

Taekwoon rolled his eyes. “Yes, he does. Come on.”

Wonshik stared as Jaehwan got behind Taekwoon, put his translucent hand over Taekwoon’s and - disappeared. A moment later he flickered back into existence, but his hand seemed to have merged with Taekwoon’s. Jaehwan hooked his chin over Taekwoon’s shoulder and Taekwoon’s hand reached for a brush from the desk and started drawing on the fancy looking paper Taekwoon had taken out earlier.

Wonshik couldn’t see what was being drawn, so he tilted his head trying to see, took a step forward.

“Don’t come any closer.” There was so much ice in Jaehwan’s voice, Wonshik had to take a moment to convince himself not to run out the door.

“I need dragonflies for the wish potion.” Taekwoon spoke up, watching Wonshik. He didn’t seem to even register his hand moving on the paper. Jaehwan, however, looked deep in concentration. “They are a symbol of strength and happiness. But I don’t like using live animals for my spells, so I found out a way to create my own dragonflies. They’re stronger than real ones, too.”

“Yes, and it drains him. And me.”

Jaehwan sounded a lot more calm this time, but then again Jaehwan wasn’t looking at Wonshik at all. All of his attention seemed focused on the drawing.

Meanwhile, Taekwoon smiled at Wonshik. 

It wasn’t one of his you-are-an-idiot-it’s-funny smiles and it wasn’t the self satisfied one he got when his spell worked out. It was genuine and - Wonshik found himself a little breathless.

The moment was quickly over when Taekwoon’s hand stopped moving, Jaehwan finally looked up from the drawing and extracted his hand from Taekwoon’s. He sent one last death glare in Wonshik’s direction and proceeded to exit the room through the wall.

Taekwoon sighed. “He always gets moody after these things.”

Wonshik stared at him. “He’s not moody, he hates me.”

“Nonsense, he just needs a little time.” Taekwoon laughed. He didn’t seem to pay much attention to the conversation though, because he took the drawing Jaehwan made and - now Wonshik could see it was a pretty detailed dragonfly. Taekwoon took a candle out of one of the desk’s drawers, lit it and hovered the drawing over it. Wonshik watched as the paper caught on fire, burned all the way to the outer lines of the dragonfly without burning the picture itself.

It, too, burst into flames and instead of a picture, a very real, dragonfly made of fire flapped its tiny wings in Taekwoon’s palm.

“This is the only ingredient I’m sure about, but it’s not even a main one… it’s mostly for extra strength and hopefully less side effects.”

Wonshik tilted his head. “What about stars? Falling stars, I mean. People like to make wishes upon them, right? Although I’m not entirely sure how you’d acquire a fallen star.”

“I’ve thought about this, actually.” Lord Taekwoon says, smiling. He let the dragonfly fly off, and but it came back and landed in his hair. At Wonshik’s surely terrified look, he said “Don’t worry. I’ve enchanted them so that they can’t  set anything on fire. We’re safe, and so are the books.”

Wonshik still eyed the dragonfly warily, but he knew better than to question further. “You were saying about the fallen stars?”

“Oh, right.” The lord rummaged through his desk again, and pulled out another stack of papers. “According to my research, there should be a fallen star living somewhere in the village. I have failed to identify them so far, though. It doesn’t help that I don’t know the people in the village at all.”

“Fallen stars are people?”

“Indeed.” Lord Taekwoon smiled again. “Well, they are stars, but they take human form when they fall and sometimes they decide to spend some time here before returning to, well, being stars.”

“I’m going to need some time to deal with all that information,” Wonshik said honestly, because - ghosts, witches, now  _ stars _ . It was a lot to take in. “But I think I might be able to help? It has been a while since I properly lived in the village but it hasn’t changed that much. And I have friends who may help, too. If you tell me what you know about this star of yours I might be able to find it.”

Lord Taekwoon’s eyes lit up like it wasn’t simple servitude Wonshik was offering. A part of him found it adorable, but Wonshik really didn’t want to dwell on that too much.

*

“Hello!” yelled an unfamiliar voice from Wonshik’s wardrobe. Wonshik shrieked, jumped out of bed, tripped on his bedsheets and landed flat on his face on the floor.

Another voice laughed behind him.

“Do you have to do this at God-knows-when in the morning?” Wonshik sighed, face still buried in his rug.

“Well,” the second voice said, and when Wonshik gathered the willpower to look up, a ghost boy was sitting on his bedside table, grinning. “Since Hakyeon ruined the possibility to play with you the old fashioned way, we had to get creative.”

“Yeah, and we got bored,” said voice one, and when Wonshik turned to him, he barely stopped himself from shrieking again. The second boy was halfway out of his closet, the door slashing right through his body. “I’m Jungkook, by the way.”

The ghost - Jungkook - finally came fully out and Wonshik shuddered. A second later, he almost-shrieked again, because the other ghost was suddenly right in front of his face. He grinned at Wonshik. “Hongbin. Nice to finally meet you.”

“Well, I’m not sure I can say the same.” Wonshik grumbled, finally getting on his feet.

Hongbin tsk-ed. “Manners.”

“I think I’d have more of a desire for politeness if you and your friends didn’t try to end me on a daily basis.” Wonshik turned his back on him, on both of them, deciding that ignoring the ghosts as best as possible might be the only course of action that could save his sanity. Or parts of it, at least.

It worked for a total of one minute. Then Jungkook’s bodyless face floated in front of him. “I heard you’re going in the village on business today.”

“I am.” Lord Taekwoon had presented him with everything he had on the star and the time it supposedly appeared in the village. Wonshik planned on giving all of it to Sanghyuk and making him find it while he spent the time with his family.

“I wish I could come with you.” Jungkook said dreamily.

‘Sure, why not.“ Wonshik said, then shrieked, once again, because one of the books on his nightstand flew up and hit him square in the forehead.

Hongbin was looking furious when he Wonshik turned back to him. “We can’t leave the mansion, you insensitive jerk.”

“I’m sorry? How was I supposed to know how ghosting works, you just threw this entire new world at me and already expect me to be, what? A ghost expert? Magic expert? I’m going to search for a fallen star, for God’s sake, the most exciting thing in my life until two weeks ago was going to bed past midnight.”

Jungkook and Hongbin stared at him with twin stunned expressions.

“Wow, man,” Hongbin said, a grin slowly spreading on his face. “Your life must have been so boring before.”

“Yeah!” Jungkook jumped in, literally, jumped in and went right through Wonshik. “Thank God you have us now.”

“Yes,” Wonshik said, closed his eyes and, not for the first time, wondered how his life had come to this. “Thank God I have you.”

*

“This?” was Sanghyuk’s reaction when he took a look at the papers lord Taekwoon had provided. They, of course, conveniently omitted the part about the star, being, well, a star. “By the looks of it, there aren’t many people that could be the person you’re looking for. Nobody really stayed here long over the years. People mostly want to leave, like you did.”

Sanghyuk’s voice wasn’t accusing, but Wonshik felt the need to defend himself anyway. “I went to study.”

“Yeah, of course.” Sanghyuk waved him off, “What I meant was, there’s only one person who came a few years ago and kind of never left. He lives almost outside of the village, close to the woods. I’m pretty sure he works at the pub. I don’t really know him, he tends to keep to himself, but I think his name was Minghao.”

Since Sanghyuk didn’t really need time to help Wonshik, now Wonshik didn’t really have time to go visit his parents, after all. So he sighed, and set off towards where Minghao’s house was supposed to be. Alone, because Han I-have-things-to-do Sanghyuk was too much of a jerk to come with.

“Your friends seems nice.” A voice said beside him and Wonshik barely swallowed the scream building up in his throat. Jungkook grinned, floating right beside him, like it was the most normal thing for him to casually haunt people outside the mansion he had complained about being unable to leave.

Wonshik decided to address the metaphorical elephant in the room. “I thought you couldn’t leave the mansion?”

“I can’t,” Jungkook’s grin grew impossibly wide. “I’m bound to it. But I can haunt you, apparently, which is unexpected but very nice.”

“Great.” muttered Wonshik. Just great.

*

The man who opened the door had bright golden hair and unnaturally blue eyes. Wonshik stared at him, way past the point of polite and well into plain weird. Jungkook stayed quiet beside him.

“God damn it.” Wonshik said, and the man raised an eyebrow. “Lord Taekwoon was right.”

*

“You want… What?” Minghao said, eyes impossibly wide.

Wonshik took a deep breath and started again. “My employer is a witch who is trying to make a wish potion for which he’ll probably need something fallen star related because, you know, wishes, and he said he’s been trying to find you forever but -”

“Okay,” Minghao interrupted and Wonshik tried not to feel annoyed by it. “The first thing I want to know is - how did you know I was a star?”

“Uh, the lord had gathered information on the time when you fell, so I asked around and you fit the description best?”  _ Around _ began and ended in Sanghyuk’s house but Minghao did not need to know that.

The star waved a hand impatiently. “I guessed as much. I meant, how did you know it was  _ me _ . How were you so sure so fast?”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” Wonshik said, slow and careful, like he used to talk to Namjoon when he was drunk, back in school. “But your hair is golden and your eyes are bright blue.”

_ He’s beautiful, isn’t he? _ Jungkook whispered in his ear and Wonshik was proud of himself for not reacting in any way. Minghao’s eyes snapped in that direction for a second, but they couldn’t seem to find anything. Still, Jungkook drew back warily.

“What you’ve seen is usually hidden for human eyes. I appear normal for what passes as normal around here. What I mean is,” Minghao waved a hand again, “You’re not supposed to see the gold  _ or _ the blue.”

“Well, apparently I’m able to see and do things I’m not supposed to, I don’t even care at this point. The important question is, do you agree to meet lord Taekwoon in the near future? Because honestly, I wanted to meet my parents today and every moment here is a moment less I could spend with them.”

Minghao sighed. “Go then, leave.” At the door and over Wonshik’s protests, he continued “And please tell your beloved lord that that was sleazy, even for him. Sending an unsuspecting human to do the work he failed at. I’ll agree, yes, but only because I like you. I expect a proposal for a time and date when you come visit next.”

“Next -” Wonshik started, but the door slammed in his face.

Jungkook floated a few feet above him, staring longingly at the house. “Isn’t he amazing?”

Wonshik rubbed his temples and tried to convince himself crying would be a very bad idea right now.

*

“You told me you had no idea who the star was.” Wonshik crossed his hands the second lord Taekwoon opened his eyes.

He squinted against the light coming from the windows. “What time it is?”

“Time for you to tell me the truth.” 

Wonshik knew, on some level, that his behaviour as an assistant, barely more than a servant, was utterly inappropriate. Somehow it didn’t stop him.

“I don’t know what you mean.” the lord said, his voice even softer than usual, and if Wonshik didn’t know better he’d think lord Taekwoon was trying to play innocent.

“I mean,” Wonshik said, refusing to give up, “You sent me to look for the star that you supposedly couldn’t find on your own and let me make a fool of myself, trying to explain to him things you’ve already explained, apparently.” The lord’s expression was unreadable and Wonshik took a deep breath, tried to calm down. “You could have warned me, my lord.”

Lord Taekwoon stayed quiet for a long time. Then, “But you seemed so happy to be able to help.”

“Yes, _ because I thought you couldn’t do it yourself. _ ”

“I have eyes and ears everywhere, Wonshik. I was surprised you even believed it in the first place. And anyway - you work for me. Doesn’t that give me the right to play with you from time to time?” There was a tentative smile on the lord’s lips, quite similar to the one he usually had when he was mocking Wonshik. 

Wonshik swallowed - his humiliation, along with his annoyance - and said “I’m sorry, my lord. It won’t happen again. I’ll leave you to your breakfast now.”

Taekwoon’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something, maybe, but Wonshik made sure to exit the room before it happened.

*

“Wonshik.”

Wonshik put down the books in his hands and turned around to bow at lord Taekwoon. “Yes, my lord?”

“Can you, please, go back to the way you were before?” The lord was frowning and Wonshik bowed again.

“I’m not sure what you mean, my lord. I was your servant before, I’m your servant now.”

“That’s not -” lord Taekwoon took a deep breath. “Look, how about we have a trip to the city? The idea of wishing wells needs to be explored and a little change of the scenery might help me come up with new ideas.”

“Whatever you wish, my lord.” Wonshik tried to keep his voice even and uninterested but the idea of going back, even for a little bit - made him jittery with excitement even if there wasn’t really anything keeping him in the city anymore. Maybe he could even meet up with Namjoon? He hadn’t had time to write to him, as he had promised, and Wonshik realized just how much he missed the normalcy of their friendship right now.

He tried to keep the excitement off his face but by the way lord Taekwoon smiled, pleased with himself, Wonshik probably failed. 

*

The next day, Wonshik opened his eyes to Hakyeon’s face.

He was pretty sure the only reason he didn’t scream was because he was frozen in fear. And then Hakyeon laughed.

“Are you all trying to give me a heart attack?” Wonshik said, proud that his voice didn’t crack. Hakyeon gave him a knowing look.

“I am trying to do nothing of the sort. Your face is just funny, I like looking at it.”

Great, Wonshik thought. As if his confidence needed an additional ghostly shot. “You’re awfully nice today.”

“Hey, I’m on your side. At least I’m not trying to kill you.” Hakyeon just laughed and floated up, only to come back down, now sitting on the bed. 

“I’m pretty sure Jaehwan has that part all covered. Although he’s been weirdly calm lately.”

“Of course he is,” Hakyeon laughed again. “Taekwoon threatened to banish him if he tried to mess with you again.”

Before Wonshik had time to process - because really,  _ what  _ \- there were loud scratching noises outside the door and when he opened it, he fully expecting Nira demanding attention. The look of superiority Leopold gave him as he strutted in caught Wonshik by surprise, however. Leopold flicked his tail right through Hakyeon’s ankle and jumped on the bed, curling up on Wonshik’s pillow.

“Rude.” Hakyeon said, frowning at the cat. Leopold just flicked his tail a few more times.

“Did you actually have a reason to come here?” Wonshik asked, giving up on rest and going for his clothes.

“I did!” Wonshik didn’t feel Hakyeon moving but he felt the coldness on his shoulder. Hakyeon was weirdly affectionate for a ghost. “You and Taekwoon seem to be getting along rather well.”

“Is that a question?”

The coldness disappeared from Wonshik’s shoulder and Hakyeon appeared in front of him again. “Are you interested in him?”

Wonshik spluttered. “We had a total of one real conversation, in which he made fun of me for playing into his lie. What do you mean am I interested in him?”

“I mean what I mean.” Hakyeon said ominously, then floated back to the bed and Wonshik turned to stare at him incredulously. Leopold looked asleep on the pillow, but his ears were perked up and his tail flicked every few seconds.

Wonshik returned his attention to Hakyeon, who was looking at him expectantly. “I like his passion for things? Is that what you want to hear? It doesn’t change the fact that his favorite hobby seems to be quietly making fun of me.”

Hakyeon stared at him, chin propped on his hand. Then he tsk-ed, floated up and right through the wall behind him. Wonshik took a breath of relief, but a second later Hakyeon poked his head back in. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I think Leopold peed on your pillow.”

*

“You will have to be my guide,” Taekwoon said softly, voice almost lost in the noise of the street their carriage left them at. “I’ve never been here before.”

“Well,” Wonshik started, momentarily forgetting he was supposed to be the emotionless servant, “We’ll have to find a place to stay first. I know this pretty good inn - I used to work there, to help my parents.”

Taekwoon smiled and let Wonshik lead the way.

“Oh, yes, sir, I meant to ask you,” Wonshik spoke again, when they neared the inn. “Would you mind if I met with an old friend of mine while we’re here?”

The lord’s smile disappeared in a flash. “Only if it doesn’t interfere with our work. And I have to be there, of course.” Wonshik blinked at the sudden change in the mood - it wasn’t very long ago that he himself was the cold and impersonal one, but lord Taekwoon’s behaviour left him feeling wrongfooted.

Still, he smiled. “Yes, of course, my lord.”

*

“So,” Namjoon looked between Wonshik and lord Taekwoon, confused. The lord had demanded the meeting happens around the city’s wishing well, so they could research while being there. Right now the lord was seated at the edge of it, peering down and taking notes on a long piece of parchment. He was quite the sight. “You’re here to research… the wishing well?”

Wonshik cringed. “You could say that. The lord is, uh - interested in its history.”

“Oh,” Namjoon said, and turned back to Wonshik, obviously trying to ignore the man behind them. “I’m so glad we got to see each other, we have so much to talk about. How long are you going to stay?”

“Until -”

“Tomorrow.” Lord Taekwoon interrupted. “The wishing well wouldn’t work, we have no more business here.”

Namjoon stared at him. So did Wonshik. “But, my lord -”

“Tomorrow, Wonshik. We have work to do back at home. You are free for the rest of the day.” With that, he rolled up his parchment, got off the wishing well’s edge and left. 

Namjoon’s expression was funny - caught somewhere between puzzled and amused. “He’s a weird one.”

“Yes,” Wonshik replied with a sigh. “You don’t even know half of it.”

*

Wonshik parted with Namjoon just before sunset, determined to find lord Taekwoon and be the guide he promised to be.

“My lord,” Wonshik bowed when he found him sitting in their shared room, reading something that had a striking amount of drawings in it. The lord looked up and Wonshik smiled at him. “I’d like to show you something.”

“Where are we going?” the lord asked, as Wonshik led him through the back entrance and up the stairs of a run down building. 

“I used to live here when I first moved out of my aunt’s. People still used this building, then. The rent was cheap and I needed that.”

Lord Taekwoon gave him a weird look. “You used to live here and you’re scared of my ghosts?”

“I didn’t know ghosts existed when I lived here, remember?” Wonshik laughed. “And I was desperate - to be honest, at that point even a ghost wouldn’t have scared me away from here.”

“They don’t scare you away now, either.”

Wonshik laughed. “Maybe I’m that desperate again, who knows. We’re here.” He opened a door at the end of the staircase and it revealed an attic. The roof had so many holes in it, it was mostly beams and no real roof. “It didn’t have so many holes back then. When the moon was full, the light would seep through the holes that were, it looked like something out of a fairytale. It’s not a full moon tonight, but we have more holes to compensate? I figured the sunset would be nice here, too.”

Lord Taekwoon pulled an upturned table, set it right, dusted it off and sat on it. “You have one night to show me this city of yours and this is where you take me?”

Wonshik spluttered. “I - I’m sorry, my lord. It’s just… People never really understood why I love this place. It’s creepy, yes, but it’s also - it felt like magic before I knew what magic felt like. I thought you’d like it.”

“I do.” Then, quieter. “Would you like to come back?”

“To the city?” Wonshik looked at the stars. They were so much brighter back home. “Probably. Someday.”

Lord Taekwoon stayed quiet, and when Wonshik turned to look at him, he was looking at the stars as well.

*

“We have to get to work.”

Lord Taekwoon didn’t even seem to see Seokjin greeting him hello, instead went straight for the library. Seokjin straightened up from his bow to stare after him. “I take it the trip to the city was eventful? Although we didn’t expect you back so soon.”

“It wasn’t,” Wonshik said, staring in the direction the lord went in as well. “In fact, he said wishing wells wouldn’t work and cut the trip in half. I was under the impression it was a fail.” 

Seokjin frowned. “Were wishing wells the reason for your trip? That’s interesting.”

“Oh?” Wonshik hoped he didn’t look as confused as he felt. “What is?”

“Nothing. Go,” Seokjin smiled, “He probably needs you.”

*

“We need to arrange the meeting with Minghao as soon as possible.” Taekwoon said the next day, as soon as Wonshik walked in. He was going around the library, taking random books from the piles that surely weren’t that many when Wonshik last saw them. He left them in completely different places and Wonshik winced at the thought of having to put them back in their places. There were at least ten dragonflies made of fire flying in the room.

One of them landed on Wonshik’s nose. “Did you even sleep?”

“What? No. We don’t have time for this, I have to finish the potion.”

Wonshik shook his head and the dragonfly flew off. “You weren’t in such a hurry yesterday. What happened?”

“I...” Lord Taekwoon stopped in the midst of flipping through a book, his back turned to Wonshik. “Nothing happened. I just need to finish it.”

“But -”

“Are you going to help me or not?” Lord Taekwoon snapped.

Wonshik’s eyes widened. “Yes, my lord.”

_ What? _

*

Nira seemed to be the only one, apart from Kixs, and occasionally Leopold, to actually like Wonshik. Especially now - every time he had a moment of  _ I can’t do this anymore _ , she would somehow find him and curl against his leg, or in his lap, and just stay there, purring, letting Wonshik pet her and sometimes talk to her about how weird exactly the lord was acting. Venting to a cat wasn’t something he was proud of, but given the circumstances… Either that, or running for the hills. Reading sometimes helped, too, but with the hell lord Taekwoon put Wonshik through every day since they came back, he barely had time to breathe, let alone do something for fun. 

Going home stopped doing the trick a while ago - even on the rare days he actually had time to do it, Jungkook would insist he should come with. Of course, when there, Jungkook made sure to make his life hell. Not only did he talk incessantly about how dumb he thought Wonshik’s friends (a.k.a. Sanghyuk) are, but he had taken to pushing random things around them, sometimes scaring the living daylights out of them. Nothing seemed to please him, at least until Wonshik took him to Minghao for yet another meeting negotiation. All changed then. Gone was the annoying brat - Jungkook would get all bumbling and cute. If he could have color on his face, Wonshik suspected, Jungkook would be blushing. 

Various people kept telling Wonshik he’d changed somehow, on those rare days home. Each had their own version - he seemed healthier (his mom), he seemed grown up (his dad), he seemed weirder than usual (Sanghyuk). 

“You look like you know things the rest of us don’t,” said Mrs Kang when he went to visit her. Of all the other jabs at his apparent change, this was the one that got to Wonshik the most. Under all the sugar cookies and nice, old-lady smiles Mrs Kang was a surprisingly sensitive person and a part of him wanted to tell her everything. Unfortunately, that was the one thing he couldn’t do.

Particularly because Jungkook was always there and making faces behind Mrs Kang’s head.

*

That morning, Wonshik got woken up by an angry Hyejin.

“This needs to stop.”

“Uh,” Wonshik said, blinking at the bright noon sun spilling through the windows.

“You need to go talk to him. I’m used to tolerating him overworking himself, but he’s overworking everyone - Jaehwan barely has energy to move a glass, and while I appreciate him not messing with my kitchen, it’s getting weird. I don’t think any of us have had more than three hours of sleep per night and I’m not sure if the lord himself has had any since you came back.”

“She’s right, Wonshik.” Said a voice and - when did Hakyeon appear? Jaehwan was behind him too, more translucent than Wonshik had ever seen him. One could almost miss him, if he didn’t know what to look for.

Wonshik sighed. “What am I supposed to do? It’s not like he listens to me, he’s been hell on me, too.”

“Right.” Jaehwan said. Even his voice was quiet, barely audible. “You’re also the only one who gets to have breaks, haven’t you noticed?”

“I didn’t want to do this,” Hakyeon sighed, “But you should know he knew the wishing wells idea wouldn’t work. He thought of it, months ago, and came to the conclusion that anything coming from a wishing well would only confuse the spell, since they are full of other people’s wishes. You can’t take the water, because it has numerous people’s wishes all tangled together, you can’t take the coins because they’re tokens of someone else’s wish. It wouldn’t work.”

Wonshik blinked at them. “Then… Why?”

Jaehwan suddenly appeared right in front of his face. “You’re more stupid than I thought. He thought you’re angry with him. He wanted to make you happy.”

Wonshik felt very small under all of their judging stares. It was like he was missing something, something important. “But - but what does that have to do with the wish potion?”

“Oh dear God.” Jaehwan threw his hands in the air. “Hakyeon, please throw something at his head, because I don’t have the strength to. Something heavy.”

“Taekwoon would kill me, Jaehwan, and Wonshik...” Hakyeon looked like he, unlike the others, had a hint of sympathy in his expression. “Wonshik, I like you, but you really are stupid. Please, just go talk to him.”

“I - okay.”

*

“Good, you’re awake.” 

Lord Taekwoon didn’t even look at him, just kept flipping through the book in his hand. Wonshik looked at him, really looked at him - he looked frantic, almost mad, eyebags bigger than his eyes themselves.

Wonshik took a deep breath. “Why did you lie to me?” After a second, he added a, “My lord.”

That finally made lord Taekwoon look up. “What do you mean? Is this still about Minghao because I thought -”

“It’s about the wishing well.” Wonshik interrupted. “I know you knew it wouldn’t work. Why did you decide to go, why did you cut the trip so suddenly?”

Lord Taekwoon stood frozen for a second - then it seemed all his energy left him, and he fell back in one of the chairs. “I wanted to make you stop hating me. But then you looked so happy with this Namjoon person and I...”

“You…?” Wonshik prompted, then clamped his mouth shut. “Oh.” The lord slid down on the armchair, covering his face with his hands. “And this mad race to get the wish potion ready?”

“You looked so happy on that roof.” Lord Taekwoon mumbled through his hands. “Like that’s where you want to be - in the city. And I really like your company.”

“Wait.” The wheels finally started turning in Wonshik’s head. “Are you trying to do it so -”

“So I could make a wish for you to stay here and not go back to the city, yes.” 

“I -” Wonshik wondered how he should end that sentence. I think that’s sweet? But also a little disturbing? He settled for, “I think that should be a decision not influenced by magic. Forget the moral issues, would you be happy knowing the only reason I’m here is because you magically made me?”

“But I really want you to stay.” And then - lord Taekwoon, the lord of the mansion on the hill, a witch and a guardian of who knows how many cats and ghosts - pouted.

“My... Taekwoon. You can’t just force people to do things. Or lie to them in order to make it happen.”

“But -”

“You can’t. It’s not fair, to you or to them. Come on now,” Wonshik said and offered the lord his hand. “Now that we’ve established that, you need to rest. Do you even remember when was the last time you slept?”

“I... I don’t think so.” he blinked slowly. Then, “Will you stay?”

“I can’t promise you that yet. But what I can promise is I’ll let you try to convince me. Without any magic involved. Is that enough?”

“But I don’t know how to do it - without magic.”

Wonshik grinned at him. “You’ll figure it out. Now come on, bed, before the rest of this household decides to hold me responsible for your death.”

Taekwoon frowned. “But I’m not dying.”

“You will be, if you keep up that attitude.”

**Author's Note:**

> what if i told you that there is a scene in this fic, where the first letters to each sentence spell "never gonna give you up"  
> does it count as a rickroll if the person being rickrolled doesn't know they've been rickrolled


End file.
